Hospital Kibogora
Nyamsheke, Ruanda
Hospital Website
Mission Organization
General Missionary Board, Free Methodist Church
Minimum Time Requirement
Three-week service minimum for registered nurses.
Four-week service minimum for dentistry and physical therapy.
Perfil
Kibogora Hospital is a 402-bed facility. Departments include: Post-Surgery, Surgery, Pediatrics, Nutrition, Internal Medicine, Maternity, Neonatology, Emergency Room, Outpatient, Ophthalmology, and Dentistry. The hospital is located 4-5 hours southwest of the capital city of Kigali, overlooking Lake Kivu and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Physician staff as of 2025 consists of general practitioners. All are either Rwandan or Congolese. Most speak adequate English. Many of the physicians are able to do C-sections and some surgical procedures. There are also specialist physicians including: two obstetricians, one pediatrician, one internist, two general surgeons, one anesthesiologist, and one orthopedic surgeon. There are also multiple trained CRNAs usually available and several OR technicians. An American RN is working in the post-surgery department.
Travel/Orientation
Fly commercial airlines into capital city of Kigali. The following morning there is a five-hour drive to Kibogora or a 1-hour flight to Kamembe with a 1-hour drive to the hospital. Upon arrival, there is a hospital tour and assignment to a “go to” person.
Diferencia de la hora local
+ 6 hours daylight saving time; +7 hours Eastern Standard Time
colección
Located 100 miles southwest of the capital city of Kigali, overlooking Lake Kivu and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Kibogora is one of the most beautiful places on the African continent.
El idioma
French, English, and Kinyarwanda. Kinyarwanda is spoken most of the time with patients. An increasing number of nurses speak English and can translate for you. Some of the physicians speak English and want to practice; others are stronger in French. Nurses can also translate as needed. If the volunteer wants to hire a personal translator, it costs about $90 per month to hire a graduated nurse who is not yet employed. If the volunteer wants to pay for a translator, let the missionary helping you know and this can be arranged.
El clima
Rwanda has three main seasons: a short, dry season in January, the major rainy season from February through May, and another dry period from May to late September. The average yearly rainfall is 790mm (31 inches) and is heaviest in the western and northwestern mountain regions. Wide temperature variations occur because of elevation differences. The average daily temperature in the Lake Kivu area is 23°C (73°F). In the mountains in the northwest, frost occurs at night.
Diseases/Trauma
Stomach ulcers, tumors, cardiac anomalies, malaria, asthma, pneumonia, TB meningitis and other forms of meningitis, typhoid fever, and orthopedic trauma from motor vehicle accidents.
Anesthesia
General, spinal, local, and sedation with ketamine or propofol.
Charting
Both English and French based on the preference of the person documenting. Some translators are available. The hospital uses an electronic charting system, and the majority of patient documentation is completed electronically.
Dental Clinic
Open M-F 8:00 a.m.– 5:00 p.m. There are two dentists and one dental therapist. A dental clinic inventory of supplies and equipment is available upon request to your World Medical Mission contact.
Lab Tests Available
H&H, CBC, electrolytes, ALT, AST, glucose, cholesterol, Bilirubin, Uric Acid, Urea, Creatinine, blood typing/matching, HIV testing, CD4 counts, bleeding time, malaria, TB testing, and stool sample. The hospital runs out of reagents and other chemicals at times. Microbiology to process blood cultures will be available in the near future.
Oftalmología
There are two Rwandan eye nurses at Kibogora. Short-term volunteers will see the more complicated patients in an effort to avoid transferring patients to an eye hospital that is five hours away and incurring costs that many patients cannot afford. Short-term volunteers will also teach/train the Rwandan nurses and evaluate their clinical skills. Kibogora stocks eye glasses and eye drops. Kibogora has 61 miscellaneous surgical instruments that no one at the hospital knows what they are. A short-term volunteer may assist with identifying these instruments. A list of ophthalmic equipment and materials can be made available upon request to your World Medical Mission contact.
Patología
All pathology is sent to another facility. It currently takes 2–4 weeks to get results.
Radiology/Ultrasound
Two X-ray machines with digital developer. Typical X-ray and barium contrasts. The radiographer at Kibogora also does EKGs. There are two well trained X-ray technicians. There is also one ultrasound machine. A small handheld, portable ultrasound is also available.
Surgery
There are three main ORs and an adjacent “minor” procedure room. Scheduled surgeries take place throughout the week, as well as emergency surgeries. Orthopedic surgery has clinic Mondays and Tuesdays. General Surgery has clinic on Thursdays. On average there are around 3 major cases per day. Equipment includes: Cardiac monitor/defibrillator, oxygen, suction, bovie, dermatome. There is a gastroscope. The OR is equipped with basic surgical instrument packs. Basic suture materials are usually available. Sterile operating gloves are usually available unless the surgeon needs an unusual size or latex free gloves. There are a limited number of external fixators for orthopedics. Laparoscopy is newly available as of 2025. There are also two ORs in the maternity ward that are used for C-sections and obstetrical procedures.
Teaching
Kibogora Hospital is a teaching hospital with many nursing students as well as medical residents, interns, and students. Volunteers have the opportunity to teach informally during rounds. If they desire, they may also teach in a lecture format, up to once per week.
